2. Come with a pure heart, and clean hands; wash your hearts in the tears of true repentance, purge them of all filth, through the blood of Jesus, which cleanses from all sins, otherwise you'll affront the master of this feast. Should a beggar that has been wallowing in a puddle, intrude himself in that condition into a prince's company, sit down at his table, and dip his besmeared hands into the same dish with him, how would he take it? O come not with filthy rags and filthy hands to this holy table, but repent of every sin, renounce every sin, and resolve against every sin.

3. Come with a holy fear and jealousy over yourselves, afraid that ye be not ready.. Cry, Lord, let me not wrong Christ or my own soul this day; O let me not betray the Son of God with a kiss; O let me not murder Christ or my own soul, contract blood guiltiness, or drink damnation. O what if I want the wedding garment when the King comes in to view the guests?

4. Come with a broken and bleeding heart to view the slain Lamb. O will not the dying groans and bleeding wounds of Christ move you? When you see him stretched out and nailed, will ye not cry, O behold my Saviour that was nailed for me, dying with love in his heart, and smiles in his face; O it was my sins drove in these nails. Remember the sun veiled his face in the time of Christ's sufferings, fainted at the sight, and could not look; O veil yours, retire inwardly, and take amends of sin the cause of bis sufferings.

5. Have on the wedding garment, viz faith in a Redeemer's righteousness. Come relying on him for acceptance, and look to him for strength and furniture: Look up to him, O dead soul, for life and quickening. How unseemly will it be to see a company of dead corpses set down to the feast of the living God? O be acting faith in a lively manner on Christ, for faith is the life of all: O come reach hither thy finger, and behold Christ's hands; reach hither thy hand, and feel the print of the nails, and mark of the spear, and cry with Thomas, My Lord and my God: Here I will rest, and here I will stay. In the clefts of his wounds my soul will take shelter, where justice shall not reach me.

6. Come with love, for it is a love feast. O love Christ that is both the master, the maker, and matter of

the feast. Christ's heart is bleeding and burning with love to you, O let yours do so to him. Without love ye have nothing to do here. Come also with love and chartty to all men, be ready to forgive every one, as ye would have God to forgive you.

7. Come with panting and thirsting desires, to see and meet with Christ, saying, I care not who is here, if Christ be absent. O the desire of my soul is towards him, and the remembrance of his name.

8. Come with expectation, depending only on Chsist's merits, God's promises, and free mercy in Christ, greedily expecting something from Christ this day; as the poor criple man did from Peter and John, Acts iii. 4, 5. And Peter fastening his eyes upon him, with John, said, Look on us. And he gave heed unto them, expecting to re ceive something of them. We ordinarily receive little because we expect little. O raise your desires and expectations, for ye come to a merciful and liberal God, that will not let the expectation of the poor perish, Psalm ix. 18.

9. Come resigning yourselves to Christ. Give up your hearts to Christ, saying, Lord, I have no sacrifice to bring but my heart, O that it were a thousand times better than it is, it should be thine; Lord, accept of this poor sacrifice.

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10. Come with admiration and praise. O the high praises of God should be in our mouths: Wonder and praise God for the contrivance of our redemption, and for making choice of such a Redeemer. O wonder and praise our Redeemer for leaving his throne of glory for a manger; yea, for a cross and a grave, and all for the sake of us. Say, "Lord what am 1, that thou shouldest part with thy glory, yea, with thy blood and life for such 66 a wretch as I am? O how am I ashamed, that I love "thee no more; my heart is cold, my tongue is slow, I "cannot love, I cannot praise. O let heaven and earth, 66 angels and men, join to extol his free grace and won"drous love." If ye come in such frame, you will be taken into the banqueting house, and his banner over you will be love. And this leads me to speak a word of the

Banner of Love.

Christ upon the cross hath lifted up a banner of love; he hath declared himself willing to receive every soul

that will come under his banner, and list himself to fight under his colours. As ye are professing to leave the devil's standard, and come to Christ, by taking your sacrament (which used to be a military oath among the Romans) and swearing allegiance to Christ; O mind ye are not to draw back, but to follow the Captain of your salvation, and fight against the devil, the world, and the flesh. If ye perjure yourselves, and return to your old ways, saying, Welcome drunken cups, bloody oaths, lying, &c. ye will incur all the curses of the law, and vengeance of the gospel also. O ye will ink deeper into hell than others, and ye will be made to cry, Would to God I had been the son of a Pagan or Mahometan. Wherefore own

and stand by the banner of Christ; and to encourage you to stedfastness, keep in mind that you have, 1. A noble general, who hath already conquered, and is ready to join you in the fight. 2. A noble cause, it is the Lord's battle, they are God's enemies, and enemies to your souls also. 3. You have noble weapons, the shield of faith, sword of the Spirit, &c. they are impenetrable and full proof. 4. Noble pay, a white stone, a crown, and a new name, grace here, and glory hereafter. 5. Ye are sure of victory, if ye fight valiantly, for Christ will fairly bring you out of the field at length.

A Banner is a sign of union; it signifies that all who resort to it, are united in one company, under such a captain: O then study union among yourselves. Let the consideration of Christ's love move you all to be united, and to love one another. O shun division, discord, slandering and backbiting; ye are soldiers of one company, and under one captain, and if you divide, enemies will reap advantage. Again, A Banner is a sign of protection, and love is the Banner that engages Christ to protect his people; as long as Christ loves his people, he will protect and defend them. O then mind your work in evil times, flee to Christ's love, and abide in this love; keep your souls in the love of God clear up the evidences of Christ's love, and so you may look to him for protection and through-bearing in the worst case; men or devils shall do you no hurt, while his Banner over you is love. Lastly, A Banner displayed signifies victory. When conquerors win a city, they display their colours on the walls; O has Christ this day won your hearts, conquered your

enemies and lusts, and displayed his banner thereupon. O it is love that engaged him to make such a conquest. Be faithful to your friendly conqueror, and let not these enemies and rebels get into the city again. O hold out the city, and fight valiantly under Christ's banner; be not cowardly, do not basely surrender the fort that Christ has won he has won it, let him wear it, let him possess the throne for ever. Say to Christ, as the men of Israel said to Gideon, Judges viii. 22. Rule thou over us, for thou hast delivered us out of the hand of Midian. O but Christ has delivered you out of the hands of Satan, submit therefore kindly to his government and laws. own him as a King as well as a Priest; surrender willingly the keys of your heart to him, and keep your heart for him.

FINIS.